Amplification is to amplify physical symptoms based on psychological factors such as anxiety or depression: "somatosensory amplification refers to the tendency to experience somatic sensation as intense, noxious, and disturbing. What may be a minor 'twinge' or mild 'sorenes' to the stoic, is a severe, consuming pain to the amplifier."[1]

Psychological state has been documented to effect the course of upper respiratory tract infection[2][3], post-infectious irritable bowel syndrome[4], and musculoskeletal pain.[5]

The Somatosensory Amplification Scale (SAS) has been validated to measure amplification.[1] The scale contains four items measured with a 5 item Likert scale:

Sudden loud noises really disturb me

I'm very uncomfortable when I'm in a place that is too hot or too cold

I can't stand pain as well as most people can

I find I'm often aware of various things happening in my body

I'm quick to sense the hunger contractions in my stomach

Amplification is related to alexithymia. Amplification may also contribute to multiple-drug intolerance (if the adverse effects that are reported are non-specific).[6] It is unclear whether amplification is related to observations that Type A personality trait may be associated with delayed recovery after organic illness.[7][8]

↑Mallen CD, Peat G, Thomas E, Dunn KM, Croft PR (2007). Prognostic factors for musculoskeletal pain in primary care: a systematic review. The British journal of general practice : the journal of the Royal College of General Practitioners57 (541): 655-61.